This invention relates to measuring apparatus for electronic parts and, more particularly, to apparatus for measuring electrical characteristics of electronic parts such as semiconductor devices.
In conventional measuring apparatus for electronic parts, the electronic parts are measured one by one. That is, electronic parts are carried one-by-one by means of, for example, a slide or the like into a measuring unit provided with measuring terminals corresponding to the electrodes, such as lead terminals or the like, of a single electronic part. The electrodes of one of the electronic parts are engaged by corresponding measuring terminals of the measuring unit so that the electrical characteristics of the single electronic part can be measured. Then the single electronic part which has been measured is withdrawn from the measuring unit, and another electronic part is moved into the measuring unit in the same manner and is measured therein.
In such a conventional measuring apparatus, however, there are the following problems.
When such conventional apparatus is used, it is necessary to carry out the steps of moving an electronic part into the measuring unit, positioning the electrodes of the electronic part in the unit with respect to the corresponding measuring terminals, measuring the positioned electronic part, and then withdrawing the measured electronic part out of the measuring unit. Therefore, when a plurality of electronic parts are to be measured, the time required to complete the measurement is the total time required to move one of the electronic parts into the unit, measuring the electronic part, and then withdrawing the electronic part, multiplied by the number of the electronic parts. Accordingly, the time for the complete measurement operation is prolonged.